1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image editing apparatus used in a copying machine or the like, and particularly relates to a method of designating a closed area which is an object to be edited.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, a copying machine has been developed that not only copies an image of a subject copy or original as it is, but that also sets an image area of the subject copy or original so as to perform an image processing such as extraction, elimination, etc.
In such a copying machine that can perform image editing, at the time of the above-mentioned image editing, it is necessary to set an area to be edited. At the time of the setting of an area to be edited, a coordinate input apparatus called a digitizer is often used. The digitizer has a dimension corresponding to that of a subject copy or original, and configured so that if a subject copy or original is set on the digitizer and an area to be edited of the subject copy or original is indicated, the coordinate data of the area to be edited are taken into the copying machine. Further, on the basis of the coordinate data, a bit pattern corresponding to the area to be edited is written into a bit map memory. That is, closed-area painting out is performed.
In one conventional method for performing closed area painting out coordinates of a plurality of points are designated and those points are connected successively so as to form an external frame of a closed area, and then an internal point of this closed area is designated by a user so that painting out is started from this point.
As mentioned above, in the conventional method of painting out a closed area, it is necessary for a user to designate a start point of the closed area painting out. During the operation of actually designating the coordinates of a plurality of points forming the closed area through a digitizer, however, the coordinates of the respective points are only stored as data and the actual positions of those points cannot be confirmed directly through eyes. There is therefore a possibility that a point outside the closed area will be designated erroneously when a start point of the closed area painting out is designated. Such a possibility increases particularly in the case of a narrow closed area. It is therefore necessary to perform an area setting operation carefully resulting in lowered operation quality.
Moreover, in the case of setting a polygon having four or more sides or a free form, there is a possibility that the polygon or free form is divided into a plurality of closed areas depending on the way of taking coordinates. In such a case, a start point must be designated for every closed area. This requirement makes the setting operation even more troublesome. Furthermore, the possibility of leaving painting becomes higher.